1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor and a method for manufacturing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a motor, which has a speed reducing mechanism and an electronic control unit (ECU) both received in a gear housing, and also to a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A motor, which has a motor unit and a speed reducing unit for reducing a rotational speed of the motor unit, is generally used as a drive source for driving a vehicle sunroof system. The motor unit includes a yoke housing, which receives an armature, magnets and the like. The speed reducing unit includes a resin gear housing, which receives a speed reducing mechanism. An open end of the yoke housing opposes and engages an open end of the gear housing, and the yoke housing and the gear housing are securely connected together with screws. Some such motors also have an electronic control unit (ECU) for controlling rotation of the motor unit. That is, an ECU receiving portion is formed in the gear housing to receive the ECU. The ECU is inserted into the gear housing through an open end of the ECU receiving portion or an open end of the gear housing.
The ECU and the yoke housing (motor unit) are sequentially installed to the gear housing in the same direction. Specifically, the ECU is first installed in the gear housing, and then the motor unit is securely connected to the gear housing with screws. Thus, if a protrusion(s) having a bearing surface, which supports and threadably engages with the corresponding screw, extends inwardly from a corresponding inner wall surface of the gear housing near the open end of the gear housing, a size of the open end of the ECU receiving portion is reduced by this protrusion. Thus, the installing operation of the ECU into the ECU receiving portion of the gear housing becomes more difficult, and positions of components in the ECU are adversely limited by the reduced size of the open end of the ECU receiving portion. Alternatively, if the protrusion(s) having the bearing surface extends outwardly from a corresponding outer wall surface of the gear housing near the open end of the gear housing, the undesirable protrusion(s) is formed outside of the gear housing. Thus, an installation position of the motor relative to the sunroof system is adversely limited by the undesirable protrusion. That is, the motor having the undesirable protrusion(s) requires an extra space for accommodating the protrusion(s).
The present invention addresses the above disadvantages. Thus, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a motor having an electronic control unit received in a housing, which has a wider open end for insertion of the electronic control unit into the housing. It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing such a motor.
To achieve the objectives of the present invention, there is provided a motor including a motor unit and a speed reducing unit connected to the motor unit. The motor unit includes and rotates a rotatable shaft. The speed reducing unit reduces a rotational speed of the rotatable shaft. Furthermore, the speed reducing unit includes a gear housing and a support plate. The gear housing has an open end and receives an electronic control unit that controls rotation of the rotatable shaft. The support plate is detachably supported in the gear housing in such a manner that the support plate extends across the open end of the gear housing in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the motor. The motor unit is secured to the support plate with at least one fastening member to securely connect the motor unit to the gear housing.
To achieve the objectives of the present invention, there is also provided a method for manufacturing a motor including a motor unit and a speed reducing unit connected to the motor unit. The motor unit includes and rotates a rotatable shaft. The speed reducing unit reduces a rotational speed of the rotatable shaft and includes a gear housing, which has an open end and receives an electronic control unit that controls rotation of the rotatable shaft. The method includes steps of inserting the electronic control unit within the gear housing, inserting a support plate into a couple of plate receiving holes, which penetrate through opposite walls, respectively, of the gear housing in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the motor at the open end of the gear housing, so that the support plate extends across the open end of the gear housing in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the motor, and securing the motor unit to the support plate with at least one fastening member to securely connect the motor unit to the gear housing.
To achieve the objectives of the present invention, there is also provided a method for manufacturing a motor including a motor unit and a speed reducing unit connected to the motor unit. The motor unit includes and rotates a rotatable shaft. The speed reducing unit reduces a rotational speed of the rotatable shaft and includes a gear housing, which has an open end and receives an electronic control unit that controls rotation of the rotatable shaft. The method includes steps of physically and electrically connecting the electronic control unit to the motor unit, inserting the electronic control unit within the gear housing, so that the motor unit abuts against the gear housing, inserting a support plate into a couple of plate receiving holes, which penetrate through opposite walls, respectively, of the gear housing in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the motor at the open end of the gear housing, so that the support plate extends across the open end of the gear housing in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the motor, and securing the motor unit to the support plate with at least one fastening member to securely connect the motor unit to the gear housing.